Wool Mattress protector to help with temperature for Latex bed suggestions

Mattress Talk General Mattresses Questions
1

If anyone can suggest a wool mattress protector for a latex bed that wont change the feel and will help it stay cooler let me know. The st dormier so far is the only one ive found that will stretch and not change the feel that much but I worry the terrycloth may be felt under the sheets and im not sure how much it will help with the heat issue. Latex definitely sleeps warmer than innerspring mattresses. I also thought about getting a wool cover but im not sure that would solve the issue either thanks)

2

Hi Mike,

Iā€™m a pretty big fan of wool myself, and both my mattress encasement and full wool 3" topper, and my duvet is filled with 100% wool. I have the St. Dormier cloth too, albeit in pillow protector form, but I know exactly what it is. In my experience:

  1. Wool is most seamlessly bought if itā€™s just in your mattress encasement to begin with. I believe SleepEZ has some if I recall their website.

  2. The St. Dormeir is the thinnest I know of to add a small amount of wool after the fact (in my case, the St. Dormeir has about 1/3rd to 1/2 of the quantity of wool compared to the mattress encasement). Most of the others begin to be more like toppers in their own right, and have a more significant effect on feel.

  3. Wool does change the feel of latex. The thicker the layer, the more it will change it. While it is different, thatā€™s not to say it is worse. The mattresses that incorporate wool donā€™t feel the same as if you had an identical mattress but without the wool - I.e. No mattress gets a wool treatment without it having an impact on the feel.

  4. An alternative approach Iā€™ve seen to cooling is the chilipad.

  5. Conceptually, and maybe this idea would turn to a nightmare, but ā€¦ You might be able to buy some raw wool batting (a roll of wool), and make your own open wool layer just above the latex but inside the mattress encasement. Iā€™ve never heard of anyone doing this, but I know youā€™ve had several posts on this topic and thatā€™s the only other idea I know that might satisfy your request.

  6. Maybe try a wool duvet too?

3

Dn,

thanks for the reply, I wish more people would post their experiences but I guess once they get what they want they donā€™t come back to forums like these. Do you think the St Dormier will help with the heat issue and can you feel the terrycloth underneath the sheets?
I have a Pure Latex Bliss mattress that uses the cotton knit cover. I think they chose this to allow for the full feeling of latex. But it sleeps warm. I wonder how much this would change the feeel of the bed http://www.naturaworld.com/products/washable-wool-filled-mattress-pad/

4

The Natura quilted protectors are quite tight and do change the feeling of the mattress significantly more so than the St. Dormeir protectors which have some stretch to them (and also tend to fit better). I also feel the Dormeir is superior for helping with the heat issue as the terry cotton is highly breathable compared to tighter woven fabrics.

5

Hi mike7,

In addition to what Daniel has written, who knows far more than I, this is my experience.

I know the ā€œtheoryā€ of wool, which no doubt you do alsoā€¦ Which is that it absorbs moisture and releases moisture so you stay dry, which helps to regulate temperature and keep you in a comfortable zone - not too hot, not too cool. It creates a microclimate around you. Nowā€¦ As to how much wool is required for this to occur, I have no idea. For me, this is what I have, and have found:

  1. My mattress case, part of my green sleep Vicence bed, has 1500 grams per sq meter of wool which is about 45 oz wool per sq yard. I do not know if thatā€™s all in the top, or if itā€™s split between top and bottom (and if split, if equally split or more in top).

  2. My mattress is such that i sleep ā€˜on the mattressā€™, and less ā€˜in the mattressā€™. In my experience, the deeper you sleep in the mattress the hotter it will feel, regardless of material.

  3. I have linen sheets and a wool duvet, also to keep cool.

  4. I have air conditioning and keep the house cold at night.

Given the above, I found my mattress slept very coolā€¦ I normally am a furnace, and I actually have needed to add a second duvet at times.

  1. I added a 3" wool topper. My review of it is here:
    https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/sleeptek-classic-2000-3-wool-topper-review

This topper added another 1800 grams per square metre or about 53 oz per sq yard of wool. Since it added extra padding that I sank deeper into, I felt it made me feel warmer (which was desirable). More of a temperature regulated nicely warm. Note however that I said warmer, as some people think wool exclusively means colder. My review might also show what changes in feel you might expect. I would imagine any wool mattress pad will have a similar effect in feel, increasingly so he more wool you add, including the natura.

By contrast, the st Dormeir has 250 grams per square meter of wool, or about 7.5 oz per square yard. My mattress has 6 times that alone, and the topper I have adds another 7 times that amount of wool. So I have 13 times more wool than the st Dormeir alone. Therefore, i donā€™t know specifically what a mattress with, and without, the st dormier is like. I can only suggest that youā€™d have to try to determine the outcome for yourself.

I do use a st Dormeir pillow protector on my down pillowā€¦ It does change the feel, in a way I happened to like and prefer (in spite of the fact that terrycloth isnā€™t a feel that I really like alone, but once under a pillow case i certainly donā€™t feel the aspects of terry that I donā€™t like). It does make my down pillow cooler I find.

Unfortunately, I wouldnā€™t even guess what or how wool, or the st Dormeir in particular, would be perceived by you. But maybe my experiences help! :slight_smile:

6

Daniel thanks for the reply maybe I should go with the St Dormier again do you know if you can feel the terrycloth under your sheets?

7

dn, wow you use a lot of wool. I dont sleep warm but the mattress does. It can be cold in my room but i can wake up feeling the sheets very warm. Im going to be switching models for the Pure Latexc Bliss Nutrition which is supposed to be firmer actually its a firm layer over soft then the core which is very firm. Maybe I wont be as warm as ill sleep more on top rather than in (not that I sink too much with my current model.) And maybe I can decide then if Ill need the wool protector. If I need a topper maybe ill think about a wool one
thanks for your response

8

Are there any other wool protectors you may know of that are more stretch type rather than like a pad thanks

9

I wonder if I could order a wool cover and remove the one that comes with this mattress

10

Iā€™ve never seen stretchy wool. Wool fibers themselves are not stretchy at all.

This is a good list of specialized wool bedding companies:

https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/wool-mattress-pads-and-toppers

I know at least one wool specialty bedding supplier offers raw wool batting. Unroll a layer above your latex maybe inside your mattress case? (In looking at it myself, itā€™s actually dimensioned very well for using in a mattress and an excellent price -$100 for raw extra thick eco-wool would cover a king, with no seams requires). Example here:

http://www.shepherdsdream.com/c-11-raw-materials.aspx

11

thank you great resources- Maybe ill call the company next week talk to them about using something that wont change the feel of the
latex)-.

12

would the wool help with memory foam as well

13

I have 90 days to exchange my mattress but stayed away from tempurpedic because of heat

14

To the extent wool works for you, I would imagine it does yes. Your actual experience would be the most important factor. Iā€™d note that since memory foam responds to temperature and softens as it warms, the thicker the layer of wool the less heat would get to the memory foam and cause it to not warm up as much and therefore sleep firmer. (The same is true of any topper you put over memory foam).

15

dn, I canā€™t remember if youā€™re using a protector over your 3" wool topperā€¦are you?

16

My one bed is currently:

The green sleep Vicence 9" mattress, with (top to bottom) soft / soft / firm Dunlop. The soft is 65 kg / m3 density.
http://www.tmasc.ca/natural-latex-foam-mattresses/green-sleep-vicence-organic-mattress.html

On top of that, I have the sleeptek classic 2000 wool topper.
http://www.tmasc.ca/wooltoppers/sleeptek-classic-2000-wool-topper.html

On top of that, I have the green sleep vasilo protector
http://www.tmasc.ca/organic-mattress-pad-protectors/green-sleep-vasilo-organic-cotton-mattress-pad.html

My other bed is similar, except its a split king.

(Yes, I buy from tmasc, I think theyā€™re wonderful). And yes, with 3 separate configurations, all very similar, itā€™s easy for me to compare at home between different configurations :slight_smile:

Hope this helps :slight_smile:

17

dn, thank you!

Question: how much do you love the Green Sleep Vasilo? Itā€™s a big step up in price from the other two I am considering. (St Dormier & Suite Sleep Organic Stretch Protector).

18

@mike7:

Iā€™m eagerly awaiting your feedback on the St Dormier (or whichever protector you choose). Please report back, ok?

P.S. Iā€™ve attempted to post this comment 3 times. Forgive me if itā€™s showing up in triplicate~I just canā€™t see it?!?

19

Buttercupbetty,
Well I originally purchased the St Dormier and didnt realize it had a terrycloth top so i sent it back. Then BOBP suggested the linenspa protector which was only $29 on Amazon Amazon.com
Since Im still in the comfort stage of my mattress and probably will be getting the Pure Latex Bliss Nutrition model(its a little firmer), I decided to buy the the linen spa as it was waterproof as well. I was surprised when I put it on my mattresss. You dont hear that ā€œcrinkleā€ sound like other protectors with a waterproof membrane and I dont feel the terrycloth under my sheets. Its returnable so I thought why not try it out. After using it for a few weeks now Im not sure I understand how a $300 protector would be better unless its wool. But when I get my new mattress I may look into something with wool as my mattress sleeps warm.
I was looking at maybe buying the st dormier again or a wool cover of some sort. Im thinking since i dont feel the terrycloth with the one I have, the st dormier may be the same way and also regulate heat. thanks)

20

mike7,

Do you mean that you never actually tried the St Dormier?